Libby asked: I have a front loading washing machine and cannot get my whites white. When replaced with new whites, within 2-3 washings, they are just as grey and dingy. I only use HE detergents and have tried different brands, hot water and adding bleach, all to no avail. Help! With the trend toward front loading washers comes an unfortunate truth:  clothes need water to come clean, and lots of it. Front load washers use a relatively small amount of water and as such, it has become apparent that dingy whites are a side effect of these types of machines….

Anna asked: My clean oven smokes. What am I doing wrong? I sprayed my oven with oven cleaner and washed it all off, but it smokes out the house when I turn it on. What can I do about this? There are a couple of reasons that your oven may be smoking. The first is that there is still food or grease that remains on the surface or on the heating unit. When the oven is turned on, this is burning and causing the smoke. The second is that there is residue from the cleaning product left behind on the…

Lauren asked: How do I protect my hands while washing dishes? I got a supplemental part time job in the school kitchen, and I was dishes a lot. Although I use rubber gloves, mu hands are very cracked. How can I protect them? I even tried using some Vaseline before I put on the gloves, but it does not help. Mu hands are burning. Thank you for your information. Hot water and frequent washings can cause painful cracking and raw skin on hands. Hand washing may be unavoidable, but you can take a few steps to prevent the worst effects…

Pat asked: Could cleaning with bleach cause throat irritation? I use bleach as a regular component of my house cleaning routine. I use it in the bathrooms, toilets, floors, etc. I am concerned that I may be irritating my throat. After a heavy duty winter cleaning episode last weekend, I awoke with a sore throat and strained voice. This seems to happen after a seasonal cleaning. I’m trying to figure out if it may be the result of a chemical allergy or irritant. Although widely used as a household cleaner, chlorine bleach is hazardous in many ways. Some of the…

Florance asked: How do I fix damage from toilet bowl cleaner? Toilet bowl cleaner containing hydrochloric acid was spilled on dark granite and resulted in a spot that is lighter than the rest of the counter, almost a bleaching effect. Is there anything I can do to darken it? Once granite has been “etched” by acid, the damage cannot be repaired. A professional may be able to refinish or “rehone” the granite, but there’s nothing you can do to restore the spot on your own. We recommend finding a reputable pro by contacting either the installer or manufacturer.

Bryan asked: Does the delicate setting on the washing machine make clothing really clean? It is easy to say, “wash delicate clothing with delicate setting.” However, if the delicate clothing is as dirty as the stuff washed with “Medium” setting, which setting should be used to wash this delicate clothing? Does the “Delicate” setting really make clothing as clean as being washed with the “Medium” setting? The delicate cycle is designed to provide a wash cycle that uses less agitation and a shorter washing time. While the other settings use more agitation and longer washing times, which is needed to…

Joanne asked: My grandson and I are having a “discussion” on how long bleach and soap remain in clothes. I say if you rinse properly, there is no problem. He says in his science studies that the bleach stays in forever. Please advise if this is correct. He says you can never remove all of the bleach from clothes. Help. According to our research, bleach will not remain on clothing that is properly rinsed. We have found no studies or proof that bleach remains in clothing fibers after washing and rinsing completely. By rinsing the piece in clean water, and…

E asked: A toilet flooded into a room that is carpeted with old parquet underneath. The carpet isn’t glued to the parquet, so I raised it and placed items underneath to allow air to circulate under it and over the floor. I mopped up all the water I possibly could. Now, the floor appears to be mostly dry, but there are areas where the wet carpet is still touching it. Will there be any damage to the floor? I don’t know what sort of material is underneath the parquet. I’m worried because I rent this place. Parquet is made of…

Faith asked: What is “dry cleaning solvent”? I have never heard of it. Can I just use dish soap, and what temperature should the water be? I have some spots of ink toner on the carpet and have already vacuumed over them. Now I need to use something to remove their marks. I have heard that ink toner is very sensitive to water, and my husband’s shirts have holds in them where the toner “burned” them clean through! I don’t want this to happen to the carpet, as we rent. Dry cleaning solvent is a fluid that is used to…